SaiLem Three {DANGER: I'm Falling For You}

45. The Last Straw

Cyann

I overreacted. I know.

But I couldn’t help it.

Everything turned to bloody red when I saw her leaving her new unit with another guy—and one who likes her too. And the only way to stop myself from hurling a deadly blow at Milo is to leave. As fuckin’ fast as I could.

The anger and bitterness and everything else rang loudly in my ears. Her voice calling me did very little to subdue my emotions that time. Because God help me, I didn’t know what I would do to her if I allowed myself to be close to her.

Man. This must be what it feels like to love someone so great, the urge to mark your territory is so overwhelming it made me tremble.

Then again, what right do I have to mark her when she’s not even mine?

And after my little walk-out spectacle in front of the people chilling out at the Milk Tea stall perched outside the building, I wondered if she’d even want to hear me out or let alone speak to me again.

Gusto kong kausapin siya nang masinsinan, like what Kuya Vlad suggested. But then I realized, it was already the vacation for the holidays. Every fuckin’ day, I would drive up to her building to wait for her to come out. But she never did.

And according to her landlady, she barely did.

I swallowed the bitter thought that maybe she’s out with Milo or with—the cockblocker. I know she’s not that type of girl in the first place. But everytime HIS name comes up, there’s a shadow of doubt that passes quickly. I almost reached the point where I couldn’t take it anymore and almost camped out of her building to see for myself if she’s hiding a man or to...just simply catch her.

Pathetic, isn’t it?

Sadly, my efforts were in vain, leaving me a hollow ache in the pit of my stomach.

I am actually very hopeful to see her today at the last rehearsals for the wedding and finally get the closure that I want.

Ate Carsie stomps her way to me with contained anger palpable in the air that we’re breathing. “Nasa’n siya? Akala ko ba nag-usap na kayo?”

Finally resigned to my crappy fate, I impassively face her. “She probably doesn’t want to talk to or see me ever again,” I grind out bitterly.

She glowers at me and is about to lash out when Ate Maxine rushes to us, looking worried sick. “Nasa ospital si Lem,” she starts and I immediately feel the blood drain on my face as Ate Carsie grips my arm. “Three days nang confined si Alice dahil nabaril daw. Wala raw magbabantay sa kanya,” she relays to us nonstop.

I am relieved to know she’s okay. But I also know that at times like these, she needs support. Alice is the only family she has left and if something happened to her cousin, Clementine is sure to be distraught.

And I want to be the one to pick her up, envelope her in a tight embrace and tell her everything is okay.

I reach St. Luke’s Global City in less than twenty minutes, thankful that it is the vacation and traffic is not so heavy. I also make sure to stop by the store to buy fruits and flowers. Well, I’m planning to give the tulips to Clementine. But just in case she ignores me, I can always give it to her cousin instead and not feel dejected a bit.